If Tomorrow Never Comes
by JesSickUh
Summary: ...will she know how much I love her? One-shot fic answering Kayla's V-day challenge


**Disclaimer:** Don't own BatB. If I did, the show would still be on air, and Catherine would still be alive. If I owned Vincent, I wouldn't be single yet again on Valentines day and I wouldn't be living vicariously throught the lives of the characters we so love. Garth Brooks owns the song although it's been covered by Westlife, Ronan Keating, and Joose (which is the only version I've ever heard).

**Notes:** Not beta'd except by me and Microsoft spellcheck, so blame all the boo-boos on us. This is my first attempt to post a fic for this fandom. I actually have a couple written up, but they're still in my head and are yet to end up on paper. This was done last minute so forgive me for the newbie- ness of it all. Oh and it's in response to the V-day fic challenge. Kayla posted excerpts of a poem for option one, and option two was a songfic. I love songfics and the poem was so similar to the song so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Hope I did it justice. I'm not a writer, I'm just a fan.

* * *

Vincent couldn't sleep. Tomorrow evening, Catherine was supposed to come down to the tunnels for dinner. It wouldn't be the first time she'd done it, but tomorrow was Valentines day and he knew she would try to make a romantic night of it. It just wouldn't do. She was too good for him. She deserved someone who could give her everything she deserved. That someone wasn't him. That wasn't to say that he didn't want a romantic relationship with her. It was getting harder and harder to keep his guard up when she was around. Thank goodness the bond only worked one way, otherwise Catherine would know how he really felt. He looked at the clock next to him and saw that it was only nine o'clock. Getting up, he changed his clothes and got ready to go up Above. Stopping by Father's chamber, he told him that he was going to see Catherine. With that, he started out of the tunnels.  
  
Catherine Chandler was sitting on her balcony reading her copy of Wuthering Heights. As she sipped her chamomile tea, she thought of the man whose life had changed hers in so many ways. She loved Vincent with every ounce of her being, but he failed to return that love. He always gave the reason that they were too different. Lately however, his arguments seemed to dwindle down to a look of defeat. It told her that he wasn't being truthful with her. That maybe he did want more than a friendship with her. What she didn't know was what was stopping him. The chill in the night air interrupted her thoughts. Getting up, she went inside to get a blanket. She felt his presence even before she got to the door. Turning around with a soft smile on her face, she walked towards the man of her dreams. Vincent said nothing as he held his arms out to receive her hug.  
  
"I'm sorry Catherine, were you about to go to bed?"  
  
"No Vincent, I was just going in to get a warm blanket. But I don't need one now that you're here to keep me warm right?"  
  
Vincent blushed, although he knew she couldn't possibly see it in the dark of night. He said nothing. Instead he took her tiny hand in his and led her back to the chair she was sitting on before he arrived. They sat for a long moment, content in the silence. The silence didn't last long as Catherine peered into his eyes.  
  
"Vincent you do know what tomorrow is right?"  
  
"Catherine I live under the city, not under a rock. Yes I know what tomorrow is, and I know what you're thinking. It cannot be. We cannot be."  
  
"Why not? The bond may not work with me the way it does with you, but I've always been a pretty intuitive person. You're not telling me everything Vincent. I don't want to hear that we live in two different worlds and that I deserve better than someone with claws. I've heard it all before."  
  
"I don't know how to be a boyfriend Catherine. I don't know where I can take you on a date the way someone up Above would. I have nothing to offer you."  
  
"Vincent I am not a superficial person and I am offended that you would think that of me.  
  
"Catherine I di-''  
  
"No-let me say what I have to say. If I wanted to go out with someone from Above, I would. Did it ever occur to you the reason why I'm not seeing anyone right now? It's you that I want to be with. You're the one I've always wanted to be with.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious why? I love you Vincent. Claws, fur, long hair, and a heart the size of Texas. None of these boring city guys have anything on you. And if you think for one second that this – that what I feel for you is just some fleeting thing, then maybe it's me that's not good enough for you. God knows I've had that thought cross my mind more than once."  
  
"How could you think that? You're everything to me."  
  
"Not everything Vincent." Catherine sighed, dreading the words that were about to come out of her mouth.  
  
"I can't keep my heart on a shelf forever. And if it turns out you really don't feel for me in the same way, then I can't be around you anymore. As selfish as it may sound...it has to be all or nothing."  
  
Vincent was speechless. He couldn't lose her. If he pursued a romantic relationship with her, he was sure he would mess it up one way or another. But if he didn't even try, he'd lose her altogether.  
  
He looked at Catherine's face. She looked resigned and as though she thought he'd made his decision-the one she didn't want him to make. His heightened senses could smell the tears as he saw them welling up in her eyes. Before she lost her composure, Catherine got up abruptly and walked toward her balcony door.  
  
"Goodbye Vincent. Please tell everybody I'm sorry I won't be able to make it to dinner."  
  
With that she shut the door leaving Vincent out in the cold.  
  
Vincent had no choice but to head back home. There he could think of a way to rectify the situation. He was so deep in thought that he didn't see the dark figure looming before him. That is until he felt a sharp pain in his chest.  
  
"You freak!"  
  
Vincent was down on the ground when he realized that he had been shot. Looking at his attacker, he saw that it was a man that looked to be in his mid-thirties. The guy started kicking him and calling him vulgar names. It was his instinct to fight back, but then he realized that he didn't have it in him. He had lost the love of his life, and he had nothing to live for. He plopped back on the ground and let the man keep beating him. Seconds later, blackness engulfed him and he knew it was the end.  
  
Vincent woke up gasping for breath. He got up to make his way back to the tunnels when he realized he wasn't in pain anymore. As his eyesight adjusted, he realized that he was back in his chamber. Relief washed over him as he realized it had all been a dream. After a few minutes of gaining composure he got up and changed into the clothes he was to wear tomorrow. After walking to Father's chamber and leaving a scribbled note by his door, he started out on his journey.  
  
Like his dream, he arrived just when Catherine was walking back into her apartment.  
  
"Vincent," she cried, as she ran to embrace him.  
  
Vincent sighed as he took her in his arms and inhaled the scent that was all Catherine.  
  
"What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining."  
  
Vincent didn't know what to say. Should he tell her about the dream?  
  
"I uh, that is...I wanted to make sure you were still coming down for dinner tomorrow night."  
  
Catherine gave him an amused look.  
  
"You came all the way here at nearly midnight to ask me that?  
  
Of course I'm going to be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
"Oh, that's...that's good. I just wanted to be certain."  
  
"Is there anything else?"  
  
Vincent looked at the expectant yet curious expression on her face. She smiled that soft smile of hers and it melted all doubts in his mind.  
  
"I love you Catherine. Not like a friend...I mean you are a friend. You're my friend...my best friend. But that's not...I love you the way a man loves a woman. A- and I want to be with you."  
  
Catherine's soft smile turned into a huge grin.  
  
"So does this mean you'll be my Valentine?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's 12:01 darling. Happy Valentines day."  
  
"Happy Valentines day Catherine."

* * *

_If Tomorrow Never Comes _

_By Garth Brooks  
  
Will she know how much I loved her _

_Did I try in every way _

_To show her every day _

_She's my only one. _

_If my time on earth were through _

_She must face this world without me _

_So the love I gave her in the past _

_Would it be enough to last _

_If tomorrow never comes._


End file.
